Oscillating gearing



l Sheets-Sheet 1. P. M. WATERS & G. H. TIARNESTg Oscillating Gearing.

Patentedv July I3, 1880.

ILEEIEHS. PHOT0-L|THOGRAPMER, WASHINGTO 2 sheets-sheet 2. F. M. WATERS8v Gr. H. EARNEST. Oscillating Gearing.

No. 230,092. Patented July I3,A 1880.

NJ'ERS. PHOTO-LITHOGHAFHER, WASHINGTON D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. WATERS AND GEORGE H. EARNEST, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

o's'olLLATINc GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,092, dated July 13,1880.

` Application filed November 11, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK M. WATERS and GEORGE H. EARNEsT, both of thecity of Springfield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, havejointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in OscillatingGearing,

'of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of oscillating gearing, so called,in which a gyratory movement is imparted to a member called theoscillator by a pair of rigidly connected bevel-wheels intermeshingtherewith, and our said movement, while applicable to a variety of uses,is more particularly designed for converting the slow rotary motionofthe groundwheel of a harvestingmachine into the rapid reciprocatingmovement required for the sickle. In such gearing it is essential thatthe oscillator be so supported relatively to the drivers as to maintaina center of gyration coincident with a point on the driving-axis midwaybetween the drive-wheels and a uniform angle of gyration, so as tosecure the proper relief and engagement ofthe consecutive cogs withoutsuch deep intermeshing as to consume power unnecessarily or cause rapidwear and destruction of the cog-work.

Itis furtherdesirable that the parts should be few and not exposed, soas to avoid the pounding and lost motion inseparable from numerousjoints or wearing-surfaces, and so as to re,

duce to a minimum the liability to clog and the endangerment of life andlimb. It is further desirable to overcome the/'constant severe sidestrain to which oscillatorsv vice for supporting and guiding theoscillator,

and comprises a construction, hereinafter described, of the oscillatoritself whereby it is centered directly upon the shaft of itsdrivingfgears, and is by the same means held to its proper conical pathor gyratory rolling movement. This is done by providing in theoscillator a double conical bore flaring outwardly, which causes theoscillator to rest and roll at the proper Obliquity for effective actionof the driving-gears. l

Associated with this device is one whereby the projection from theoscillator, which constitutes the sickle-driving arm, is made availableto prevent rotation of the oscillator.

Further, associated with the above features, is a relative form of theends of the oscillator and the contiguous faces of the drivers thatinsures a positive gage or limit to the depth of intermeshing..

Our preferred form of movement comprises a provision, in conjunctionwith said faces and the conical ends of the oscillator, of washers,whereby the depth of intermeshing may be regulated to any desired nicetyand be restored after it has become impaired by wear.

In order that our invention may be fully nnderstood, we will proceed todescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan of our improved gearing ,f as applied to a mower.lFig. 2 is an axial section of the same. Fig. Sis a perspective view ofthe reciprocating arm for transmitting the motion from the oscillator tothe pitman of the sicklebar.

A may represent a portion of the frame of a mowing or harvestingmachine, supported upon the shaft b', rigidly secured to the drivewheelsB. Rigidly keyed to the shaft b are two bevel-wheels, b b, the teeth ofwhich diverge from ak point in the axis of the shaft midway betweenthem. Between these two Wheels is placed our improved oscillator a,which consists of a two-faced bevel-wheel adapted to intermesh atdiagonally-opposite points with the bevel-wheels b b, as more fullydescribed hereinafter.

Each face of the oscillator has two more teeth than the' bevel-wheelmeshing with it, as is customary with gearing of this class.

The hub of the oscillator is bored conically in the line of its axis,the interior walls of the IOO bore flaring outwardly from the center, asshown in Fig. 2, thus permitting, and at vthe same time limiting, thegyratory motion i111- parted to it by the rotating bevel-wheelsrb b. Theend faces, h, of the hub are also made conical, so as to meet theinterior surface of the bore at right angles, and to bear or rollagainst the interior faces of the hubs of the bevelwheels b b atdiagonally opposite portions, for the purpose of limiting the depth ofthe mesh. Said conical ends h may fall somewhat short of actual contactwith the hubs of the wheels b b, and one or more washers, c, may beinterposed between the bevel-wheels 'b b and the oscillator a, as shownin Fig. 2, for the purr pose of regulating the depth of the mesh.

An arm, e, rigidly attached to the oscillator, and having a hook orstud, f, sliding in the, horizontal slot g, in a projection from theframe A, serves to transmit motion from the oscillator to the sickle-barpitman, and at the same time prevents the rotation of the oscillator.

When in motion the bevel-wheels b b, acting on diagonally-opposite teethof the oscillator a, cause the same to assume a wabbling motion,comparable to that of a coin when settling down upon a table after beingspun, so

that the axis of the oscillator describes a cone the angle of which isthe same as the angle of oscillation and of the angle of the conesforming the bore, and hence it will be seen that the hub will roll onthe shaft as the latter rotates without sensible friction.

There being no gimbals, cranks, or other eX- terior mechanism than thatrequired to trans mit the power, a great reduction is effected ofliability to clog or to get out of order, and an important ecouomizationin weight, material, and draft, with greater safety, are secured.

"cillator a, pierced in the line of its axis with a double-Haring bore,of which two diagonallyopposite surfaces bear simultaneously upon theshaft of the driving-gears, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the oscillator a and the .drive-gear shaft onwhich it bears, a`

rigid frame in which said shaft is journaled, .Slotted hanger g, an armrigidly attached to said gear and having curved projection or .hookf,and so hung or pivoted to said frame as to permit a horizontal andprevent a vertical oscillation, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the double-faced oscillator a, having a tw0-wayconically-tlaring hole ,through its hub, and conical faces t', with the,duplex driving-gear b, and with the loose col- 1lars or washers cbetween the oscillator and its 1said dri vin g-gear, substantially asdescribed.

FRANK M. WATERS. 1 GEORGE H. EARNEsT.

Attest:

B. C. CONVERSE, DAVID P. MOKINNEY.

